The crypto markets have seen some pretty impressive gains in the last few days (by today's standards anyway) and I see so many of the crypto-influencers on social media being swept away in the euphoria.
It's great to see the markets moving in the right direction after such a long period of stagnation but it's difficult to trust the bull market has really begun. It'll be interesting to see what happens from here—I remain cautiously optimistic.
The world is just a few weeks from changing pretty drastically, although you likely won't hear about it in the mainstream media. Tesla launches their CyberCab on September 3rd in Austin, Texas. From what I've gathered from the community the RoboTaxi network is already running an advanced version of Full-Self Driving (v15) that has solved autonomous driving, or at least improved it to a level worthy of regulatory approval.
The last version of the self-driving software I used, v14.3.5, was already nearly there. It nailed all of the major aspects of driving but still possessed a few annoying little quirks—like occasionally struggling in parking lots. Tesla has obviously cleared these quirks up in v15.
From what I understand, thousands of CyberCabs will be deployed in four or five pilot American cities this year before a wider, nationwide rollout in 2027. Las Vegas will have an extensive network of CyberCabs that will operate both on the roads and in a maze of tunnels dug under the city by the Boring Company.
Imagine opening the RoboTaxi app, calling an autonomous car that arrives in five minutes or less, and having it drive you to your destination. The car won't have pedals or a steering wheel. You'll be able to stream video, read, get some work done, or just relax on the way to your destination. This will cost a fraction of what Uber or Lyft charges today. The future is going to be pretty exciting, that's for sure.
Meteorologists are saying this could be the best weekend weather of the entire summer for us in this part of Minnesota. This is the time of the year when you want to wring every last bit of warmth and fun out of summer.
Sunsets are coming sooner, and their hues are beginning to look a little more fall-like. The mornings are crisp. We're even seeing some leaves turning yellow and red in the woods surrounding our community. The seasons are turning and for the first time in a while I'm ready for it.
I came across this picture of the original Walmart. It's hard to believe their world-wide empire of gigantic stores was born in this little storefront in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962.
I showed this photo to my brother yesterday and he said, "We have to be related somehow." I laughed but, you know, he's probably right. We did have a great uncle Larry, who passed away decades ago, who always told Walmart cashiers he was related to the founder. Uncle Larry was a real character, always fishing for a discount.
In our genealogy research we've discovered most Waltons in America are descendants of four English brothers who came to North America way back in the late 1600's.
Here's a little about them:
Nathaniel, Thomas, Daniel, and William Walton (often called the Byberry Waltons)—four Quaker brothers from England who settled in Byberry Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, around 1682–1683 (sometimes traditionally dated earlier to ~1675, though records better support the later date).
They were sons of William Walton (c. 1629–1681/82, of Oxhill, Warwickshire, later associated with Bibury/Byberry parish, Gloucestershire) and Alice Martin. Their father did not emigrate; he purchased land in West New Jersey that was later conveyed to the sons. The brothers (Quakers) arrived in the early wave of English Friends migration to Pennsylvania under William Penn, landing in the New Castle, Delaware area and moving up the Delaware River region. They settled along the Poquessing Creek, naming the place Byberry after their English parish (or a nearby one). Early accounts describe them living temporarily in bark-covered caves (with Native American help) and obtaining seed wheat; they made their first recorded land purchases (100 acres each from Thomas Fairman) in 1688.
According to our genealogical research our paternal family-line descended from the youngest brother, William, who fathered ten children with his wife Sarah. Our roots run relatively deep by America's standards. I can't wait to make it back to England and dive into some of the church records in Oxhill Parish and Warwickshire. We've done some searching of the older English records online but it will be interesting to stand on the same ground our ancestors did all those many centuries ago and have a few pints in the pubs.
All for now. Make this a wonderful day.
